Aftermath
by L Moonshade
Summary: Gibbs learns a bit more about Kate, and doesn't like what he finds out.  Meanwhile, Kate needs help dealing with Ari's effect on her.  Sequel to and immediately follows Bete Noire. Rated for language.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own nothin' but Kate.

A/N: As always, thanks to Raynbowz, for patience, advice and many, many reads. And for the metaphorical Gibbs-slaps when I need them!

* * *

"Thanks for taking care of this, Duck," I said, indicating my "injured" shoulder. I always came to Ducky to get patched up, the easiest way to keep my Immortality a secret. "Damn, I hate getting shot in front of so many people."

He chuckled. "You have to admit, Jethro, it's your own fault for choosing a career that regularly puts you in harm's way."

"Can't help it. After so long, I don't think this leopard's going to be changing his spots any time soon."

He shook his head as he started putting the morgue back in order. "I'm surprised you don't have a rule about that."

"That's the one rule of Remus' he'd shoot me for breaking." I shifted the sling, making it as comfortable as possible. "What do you think of her?"

"Caitlin? She's capable, thinks quickly and uses all the talents God, and death, have given her. She is inexperienced, yet, but that will come with time. If you're asking if I like her, the answer is yes. Ready to steal her from the FBI, are you?"

"I'm thinking about it." But I needed answers, first. Not about her vampirism—except for what she was capable of, perhaps—but about something I'd noticed. "You get the feeling she knows you?"

"Indeed, I do. She started to call me Ducky yesterday, when you brought her to the morgue."

"Yeah, I heard it, too. Tony said she seemed to expect movie references, she gave Abs a hug, she knows half my rules..."

"And she certainly knows how to deal with you. You're sure she's not an ex-wife?"

I shook my head. "Trust me, Duck, I'd remember being married to her."

"I should think so." He glanced at me. "What are you going to do?"

"Hit Joe's Blues. I've just got too many questions."

"Are you sure you can get them answered there?"

"Should be able to."

Ducky nodded. "And what does your gut say about her, Jethro?"

"That I can trust her."

"Then, what more do you need?"

I just shook my head. Normally that would be enough, but something wouldn't let me ignore this.

"Hmm, I see," he said, though I doubted it, since I didn't even understand. "Do you need a ride?"

I sighed. "Yeah, I'd better. It wouldn't look good if I drove with this damn sling."

It was early, still, so traffic was light and it didn't take us long to get to the bar. "Thanks, Duck."

"Of course."

I should be able to get answers, but only if Dawson or MacLeod were around. I wasn't entirely sure of either—Dawson would still be dealing with the murders and MacLeod likely had a life of his own—but I had to try. I stepped into a room filled for dinner, tensing with the buzz of another Immortal. It was only another minute before MacLeod stepped out of a back room, frowning when he saw me.

"Agent Gibbs. Is something wrong?"

"No, and you can drop the 'Agent'. I'm not working."

"Beer, then, since you're off duty?"

"Thanks. Surprised to see you, here."

He got two beers from the bartender and led me into the room he'd come out of, an office. "Joe's making funeral arrangements and Mike—his manger—is out of town. What happened to you?"

I gratefully took off the sling. "Shot earlier today, and far too many people know it."

MacLeod gave me a sympathetic smile. "I've been there. It's not fun."

"No, but it's an ever-present danger, my line of work."

"True." He studied me as we sat. "You may not be here on business, but you're not just here to drink."

I didn't bother even trying to pass it off. "No. I have a few questions about Special Agent Todd."

He frowned. "You suspect her of something?"

"Only of not being entirely forthcoming."

"Shouldn't you be asking her?"

Of course I should, but there was a big problem with that idea. "She won't tell me."

"How do you know?"

I smiled wryly. "Because I wouldn't tell me."

MacLeod shook his head. "I shouldn't be surprised. She's learned far too much from David."

"That's a name I've heard before. He one of us? Relax, I don't play," I said when he tensed. "Can't afford to, working for the government."

"I suppose not. Yes, he is, but she didn't tell you."

It was a statement, not a question. "And I wouldn't be surprised if she found ways to keep us from meeting. When she said good bye to him, she told him to watch his head. I may not have thought anything of it, but she told McCormack the same thing."

He frowned. "So, why the questions?"

"I just want to clear up a few things, that's all."

"I may not be the best person to ask. We don't get along."

"Funny, that's almost exactly what she said about you. Though, she added the fact that you're a good man and she'll never say otherwise."

"Yeah," MacLeod sighed. "Somehow, that doesn't surprise me."

So she respected him more than he respected her, which likely meant an interesting story behind the rift. "That's all right. Sometimes you get a more honest opinion from enemies than from friends."

He winced. "Please, don't think that. It's not that bad."

"Because it's not, or because you don't let it get there?"

He actually had to consider that. "To be honest, I don't know," he finally said. "There aren't many friends who would be caught between us, but the ones who would are too important to us both."

"Dawson and Addison? What sort of man is he? Should I expect trouble from him?"

MacLeod shook his head. "No, he doesn't play, either. He risks his head for the people he loves, but he prefers to keep a low profile."

I could understand that. "How long has he been a doctor?"

"A little over five years. He changes identities regularly."

"Funny, that's the second time I've thought about that particular rule." At his confused look, I explained. "When I was a boy, I became close friends with one of my father's slaves. Well, he became friends with me, took me under his wing and taught me his rules for survival. One of his favorites was, 'You can't hide as the person you've always been.'"

He chuckled. "That sounds like David, all right. Was your friend one of us?"

I shrugged. "It's entirely possible, but he was killed long before my first death, so I don't know."

MacLeod nodded slowly, as if distracted, then shook himself out of his thoughts. "Anyway, yes, it's mostly Joe and David who would be caught between us; they're really the only family she has. When we met her, she'd just lost everything, literally had nothing but the clothes on her back."

"Hate at first sight?"

"No. At first I felt sorry for her, especially when I found out she'd lost a husband and daughter."

My heart stuttered, I knew how that felt. "That's never an easy thing to get past."

"No, it's not. If there's no problem, why...?"

I hated dealing with suspicious Immortals. "Don't worry, MacLeod. I'm not here for anyone's head."

"Not even Kate's?" he asked, becoming grim.

I was stunned. The way it sounded they were all but at each others throat, yet here he was, ready to Challenge me for her. Damn Boy Scout. "I just want to offer her a job, depending on what I learn here. If you don't like her, why...?"

"Because she's married to a close friend, who won't survive losing her." He slowly relaxed then gave me a wry smile. "Believe me, you're not thinking anything David hasn't told me many, many times. With the same look of disgust on his face."

I was starting to like Kate's husband more and more. "We always think that when we lose someone."

He shook his head. "It's real, this time."

The tone of his voice told me more than his words. "He found her, didn't he? And you were there." Which meant he knew about her vampirism.

MacLeod looked startled then nodded. "Yeah," he said, but didn't elaborate. "How'd you find out?"

"She took a head shot last night, had to feed to get back on her feet. It's one of the reasons I want her on my team. She should be working for someone who knows what she is and can help her use it."

That surprised him. "That's not what I expected to hear."

I thought about it from his point of view. Most people would jump to conclusions about Kate that I knew were wrong, but I only knew that through experience. "Edwards had gotten to one last girl. We found her alive, but she wanted nothing to do with men, so Kate had to take care of her. No one who saw that would call her a soulless monster."

"Yeah, she wears her heart on her sleeve. Well, until she died, anyway, then she got a lot more inscrutable."

That only made sense. "Sure. No blood to make her blush, no breathing or heart beat to speed up..."

"And she doesn't have to blink very often. According to Matthew, she's hell in interrogation."

Another point in her favor. "I'm sure. She introduce you to him?"

"Other way around. I thought he could help her hide what she is."

"She hasn't done a bad job. My ME's still kicking himself, that he didn't figure it out."

MacLeod frowned. "He knows, too?"

"They were locked in a body drawer together—it's a long story. Tight quarters and he's no dummy."

"And he's okay with it?"

"He's delighted to have a corpse finally respond to him."

MacLeod didn't know what to do with that. "He talks to bodies?"

"The way Ducky looks at it, his 'patients' tell him their story, so he holds up his end of the conversation."

"A vampire, a man who talks to corpses, you work with some interesting people, Gibbs."

"And that's not including my forensics expert. She sleeps in a coffin; my senior agent calls her the happiest Goth you'll ever meet."

MacLeod shook his head. "How do you solve any cases, with people like that?"

He hadn't meant any insult, but I bristled at the question, just the same. "It's because of people like that. They think creatively, come up with ways to find information that other people would't." I kept my annoyance out of my voice, though. No sense putting him on the defensive before I'd maneuvered him into answering my real questions. "Kate's the same way, another reason I want her."

"She is good, even I have to admit that. Here," he said in the tone of someone moving the conversation off an uncomfortable subject. He reached over to the desk, grabbing one of the two photos. "Joe gave Kate away. The other photo is Amy's wedding."

It wasn't the smoothest segue I'd ever heard, but it was educational. In the photo, Kate was heavier and older than she was now, and had the look of someone with chronic medical problems. Regardless, she was beaming and I couldn't help but smile, glad she'd found happiness. "Wish it was that easy for me."

"Pardon?"

I looked up, surprised that I'd spoken aloud. "I lost a wife and daughter a while ago. Haven't had a marriage last, since."

"Someone once told me we weren't meant to be parents," he said, his own pain evident. "I believe him, sometimes; I've lost a wife and step-child, too." He heaved a sigh. That was the greatest pain of being Immortal, forever losing the people you came to love. "Another beer, or something stronger?"

"Bourbon."

He stepped out, coming back with two glasses and a bottle. We each knocked back a couple before I brought the conversation back around to the reason I was there in the first place. "How old are you, MacLeod?"

"Little over 400. Why?"

"I'm two thousand and, in all that time, I've never seen any evidence that vampires are real."

He laughed. "Most of the world doesn't know about Immortals. Think about it, Gibbs, the legends had to have come from somewhere."

"Of course they did, from us. Does she know you as well as she knows me and my team?" He didn't quite look away, but his eyes darted briefly to the side, giving me my answer. I leaned forward and asked the last question. "How? And does it have anything to do with the reason she's the only vampire in the world?"

He met my gaze evenly and I could see him wondering how he'd gotten backed into this corner. After a moment he smiled wryly and shook his head. "Kate warned me that if I talked to you, I should just give you the whole story, that you'd wind up getting it out of me, anyway."

Now that I had gotten him to commit to telling me I leaned back. "More proof she knows me. She's never seen me in interrogation."

"Don't be too sure of that." He knocked back another drink. "It's not going to be easy for you to believe. Hell, I doubt I would, if I hadn't been there." He fell silent again, for so long that I had to prompt him.

"All right, then. What happened?"

"Six years ago, David and I were talking on my barge when she appeared out of nowhere. Literally. One minute we were alone, the next she was on the floor between us, and she knew who we were."

"Kate tell you how?"

"She came from the year 2009 and an alternate reality where this was a TV show." He gave me a wry smile. "You need a minute."

"Ya think?" Hell, I needed more than a minute, I needed another swig of the bourbon. This time, though, I didn't bother with the glass. He was right, it was completely unbelievable. "And there's no way to verify it."

"Not all of it, but the fact that she came from 12 years in the future we could; they still aren't making cell phones that are as advanced as the one she came with."

I understood his logic. "And if you believe that, you gotta believe the rest."

"She does know things we never told her. Then there's the books. Marietta Andrews' series, do you know it?"

"Of it. Friend of mine." Abby had tried to get me to read it, but it wasn't my thing. "What about them?"

"Kate says that's the world she came from. I haven't read the series, either, but Joe and David both swear up and down that she's just like the vampires in those books."

He wasn't lying, that much I was sure of, but that didn't mean I could trust the conclusions he and David had come to. The more I thought about it, though, the more I had to accept it. It certainly explained a great deal, and that thought pissed me off. "And you're convinced that's her story?"

MacLeod sighed. "As hard to believe as it is, yes, I do. Like I said, there's her phone to consider, and the things she knows... Gibbs? Are you all right?"

I was anything but all right, and I was beyond pissed. The things she knows, I thought. Like the identity of the man who'd shot Gerald? "I'm fine," I said through clenched teeth. "Thanks for your answers. For the booze," I told him, tossing a few bills on the desk before rushing out to find a cab.

Fortunately, I didn't have to wait too long. When I got to the hotel I threw more bills at the driver and rushed in. The clerk at the front desk was happy to give me Kate's room number, though I wasn't sure if it was my badge or my growl that did it.

It was only after I got there that I realized she'd had to feed and may be out hunting; I put my ear to the door to listen and heard her talking, even if I couldn't decipher the words.

When she answered, she was dressed for the type of club Abby preferred. "Gibbs," she said, letting me in then turning to close the door behind me. "To what do I owe..."

I grabbed her arms and shoved her into the wall, kicking the door closed behind me. "Who is he?"

She spoke in a low voice, a trick designed to quiet me down. "I don't..."

I was too angry for it to work, especially since the question seemed to come as no surprise. "Where is he?"

"I don't know. I..."

"You can't tell me this wasn't an episode!"

This time, she didn't keep her voice low. "Damn it, Gibbs, I can't tell you!"

"Can't, or won't?" Her silence was all I needed. "You're done here. I don't need you." I let go of her and stormed out. And if I heard tears, I told myself it was my imagination.


	2. Chapter 2

I had rarely wanted to get drunk more than I did at that moment, but that wasn't an option for me; sometimes, Immortal recovery was more curse than blessing. I tried working on my boat, but I was too tense and furious, and I kept leaving it to pace the room. How dare she keep this from me? Could she be planning on going after him on her own? It didn't take me long to discount that idea. If she were, she would have told me, invited me along for the ride. It was enough to make me think we were nothing more than characters to her.

The phone rang, but I ignored it until the machine picked up. "Agent Gibbs, if you value your head, you _will _answer your phone."

The voice was cultured, with a British accent, dark and dangerous. I was pretty sure it was David; if I was right, the last thing I wanted to do was answer. But he sounded like he meant business, and that wasn't a risk I wanted to take, so I picked up. "Do I even have to ask who this is?"

"Not if you're half the man Kate has led me to believe you are. You owe her an apology."

"I don't think so."

He scoffed. "Never apologize, it's a sign of weakness. I know all about your damn rules, Gaius, I taught them to you, after all. And, as always, I find myself having to remind you of rule number one."

He spoke in flawless Latin, with no trace of an accent, and in a tone no one had used with me in almost 2000 years. It had been centuries since I'd felt like a boy caught doing something wrong, a feeling I hadn't missed. "Remus? By the gods, you are Immortal." I wasn't surprised to find that I'd slipped into Latin, myself.

" 'There are always exceptions,' that is the first thing I taught you, boy. Trust me, Gaius, Kate is many of them."

"What did she tell you?" I asked, going back to English when he did.

"Nothing, but I know her and she was not doing well after your visit. So tell me, what got you so hot that you assaulted my wife?"

"Three of my people were held hostage and she knows who did it." I tried to ignore the fact that I'd just included Kate in that group. "He shot one of them and I want his head."

"Have you forgotten that she was one of those people? And I'm not going to ignore the fact that you called her one of yours. Do you really think she doesn't want...?"

I was too pissed to let him finish. "That's exactly what I think! If she wanted to find him so damn bad, she'd tell me who the fuck he is!"

"Are you going to let me talk, or am I going to have to get on the next flight and make you listen?"

I would have laughed at the dramatics, but his voice was cold and deadly serious. I'd always thought him harmless, if cunning and intelligent, but in truth I had no idea how old he really was or what he was capable of doing. I grabbed my bourbon and sat down, forcing myself to calm. "I suppose I owe it to you."

"Good answer," he said, all threat and darkness gone from his voice. "The first thing you need to understand is that she knows you from an entirely different show..."

"MacLeod didn't tell me that."

He gave an exasperated sigh, a sound I'd heard often in my childhood. "You really haven't changed, have you? My point is that our reality doesn't conform to her show, which means she can't afford to assume that she knows what's going on. She hadn't been here a month when worrying about it nearly drove her crazy to the point that she tried to kill herself. She learned her lesson."

I could understand that, but there was still just one problem. "That's all well and good, but this isn't a TV show, where things have to happen the way they're written out..."

"Damn it, Gaius, I taught you to read people better than that. It's precisely because it's not a show that she has to pretend she knows nothing. The last thing she wants is to second-guess herself to the point where she doesn't act when she has to and someone she cares about dies as a result. And she sure as hell doesn't want to cause something worse in trying to avoid something bad. We're not just characters to her and you're a fool if you think we are."

I fell silent, taking that in, and he let me. I thought about how she'd treated us with respect and affection, even when she was asserting herself, how she'd taken care of Ducky, how upset she'd been at my words, earlier. "You're right."

"Another lesson you apparently forgot. Does this mean you've pulled your head out of your ass?"

I sighed. No one had ever made me feel as big a fool as Remus could. "Yeah."

"Good, because I need your help. She needs me, Gaius, and I'm not there. You are."

And there was something else that was as familiar as his putting me in my place, the fact that he was holding something back. "What aren't you telling me?"

"On top of the fact that today is never a good one? Kate didn't tell me what he said to her, but your guy spooked her, and badly. That isn't easy to do."

"Yeah, I know. She still at the hotel?"

"Not last I talked to her—she was out to grab a bite—but that was more than an hour ago."

Even if he hadn't talked sense into me, I would have helped Kate for him. But, since he had... Well, I took care of my people. "I'll find her."

"Thank you. Do you prefer Leroy?"

"Jethro, Leroy was the original Gibbs. I should go."

"If you can't find her, wait at the hotel. She doesn't usually stay with her meals."

"I'll take care of her, David."

"You'd damn well better start," he said, that dangerous note back in his voice. "Call me. If you can't get my number anywhere else, Joe or MacLeod can give it to you."

"Which begs the question how..." I broke off in annoyance; he'd already hung up, ending the conversation on his terms. "And you say I haven't changed."

I called Kate's cell phone, but didn't get an answer. It didn't go straight to voice mail, though, which meant it was still on, and that meant it could be traced. And that meant I had another call to make.

I only had to wait one ring. "Gibbs! Where have you been? I've been trying to get a hold of you, I need to talk..."

"Not now, Abs. I need you to locate a cell phone for me."

"But Gibbs, this is important."

I loved Abby—hell, she'd saved my life—but sometimes... "Abs, I need to find Kate. She may be in trouble." Normally, I wouldn't have any doubts about her ability to take care of herself. But if she were in as bad shape as David said she was, she may not be as capable as she normally was.

"Well why didn't you say so? That's what I need to talk to you about; she's here, and I think you're right. I mean, she's already been with, like, three different people."

That didn't sound good. "She drinking?" Not that I knew if she could...

"Not that I've seen, but the people she's gone with have been hammered, if that matters."

Yeah, it mattered. "Think you can drag her out of there?"

"I hope so. You want me to bring her there?"

It was either my house or the hotel. It would be easier to hide my involvement until the last minute if I had Abby bring Kate to the hotel, but she'd probably be more comfortable at the house. "Yeah. If she argues, call me."

"Okay. Gibbs, is she going to be okay?"

"I hope so, Abs. I'll do my best to make sure she is."

"I know," she said then hung up.

I expected a call and wasn't disappointed; it was only ten minutes later when the phone rang and I snatched it up. "Gibbs."

When she spoke, Kate's voice was slurred, just a bit. "Say what you have to say..."

"I'm sorry."

That threw her and there was a long pause before she finally said, "What?"

"Not gonna repeat myself."

"Yeah, it's just that I thought I heard you apologize."

"That's because I did, I should have given you a chance to explain. You get enough to drink?"

She laughed harshly. "Not by half."

"What about food?"

"Yeah. I'm not getting out of this, am I?"

"Nope. Door's open, just come in," I said then hung up. Something else I'd learned from Remus—David, I reminded myself—end the conversation on your terms. I sighed, wondering if I was crazy. Kate was one thing, but inviting him back into my life was, in all likelihood, asking for more trouble than I wanted.

"I hate Immortals," I muttered, dialing another number. I had no idea if the invitation over phone was good enough, but I wasn't going to bother waiting for her; she'd ring the bell if she needed to.

The phone rang a few times before it was picked up. "Boss? Everything all right?"

"Fine, DiNozzo, I just need some information."

"Uh, about what?"

"Abby got you reading that one series of hers, right? Marietta Andrews?" I'd been surprised when I'd seen him with one of the books, I hadn't thought it his cup of tea. "Tell me about the vampires."

There was a long pause. "You should read..."

"I don't have time, DiNozzo. Spill."

"Well, there are three types, Feral, Warrior and Seductive. The Feral..."

No question which one Kate was. "Skip the first two."

It didn't take too long and, less than twenty minutes later, I was back working on my boat. It was about ten minutes after that when Kate said, "What're you naming this one?"

I jumped—she hadn't made a sound coming in. "Haven't decided, yet."

"Hmm," she said, sounding like she didn't believe me. "Tell me something, how the hell are you getting it out of here?"

"What, you don't know?" I paused to give her a closer look and cursed myself. She had refused to talk to anyone at NCIS, but the shadow in her eyes and the way she stood curled in on herself, as if hiding, told me that may have been a mistake. "You want something else to wear?"

"And a shower, if you don't mind."

"Come on."

I led her upstairs, finding her a towel, one of my T-shirts and a pair of sweats. "Take your time. We'll talk when you're done."

I dug out blankets and a pillow to throw on the sofa then went back to the basement and looked up the number for David Addison. He answered on the first ring.

"Jethro."

"She's here. In the shower, right now."

He gave a relieved sigh. "Thank you." He hesitated, then began reluctantly, "I suppose you should know that when we're apart..."

"Rule number 12, never date a coworker."

He growled when he said, "What makes you think I'd let you date her? I gave her that choker for a reason, you know."

So that's what that was for. I'd wondered. "I'll be sending her home, soon, but don't get comfortable. She's not going to be with the FBI for much longer," I told him then hung up.

An hour later, Kate startled me again by picking up some sandpaper before I even knew she was there.

"That's going to get real annoying real fast," I said, shooting her a glare. Then, indicating one of the ribs, "That one. With the grain."

"Kind of like your hanging up all the time, on it and I know, respectively." She started working then, after a moment, glanced at me. "What brought this on?"

"David called, set me straight."

She shook her head. "I don't know anyone who can give long-distance Gibbs-slaps like he can. What?" she asked when I stopped to look at her.

" 'Gibbs-slap'?"

"You haven't heard that, before?"

"How could I? That's really what you call it?"

Kate chuckled. "Hell, it's a verb among just about everyone I knew who liked the show. And with Tony."

"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Well, if it makes you feel any better, Remus hasn't lost his touch."

That got her attention. "Remus? That's a name I haven't heard before."

I studied her for a moment. She was good, but the corner of her mouth twitched just a bit. "Maybe not from me, but you have heard it."

Her smile became wry. "You do realize that there's only one person who can read me as well as you?"

I smirked. "I learned from the best."

"This is true. That makes you Gaius, then."

That was flattering. "I guess he's mentioned me."

"Once or twice, hoping you were well. You were always one of his favorites."

That was even more flattering. "Well, it's thanks to him I've survived so long." We worked for a few moments in silence, earning her another point; she didn't feel the need to talk when she had nothing to say.

The problem was, I needed her to. David was right, her brush with our terrorist had spooked her, and she needed to tell someone why. But how to get her to talk now, when she wouldn't even talk to her husband? She was the one with the psychology degree, not me. And with that thought came an opening. "You can't tell me what you know about him from the show? Then profile him for me."

She didn't look happy and she didn't say anything for so long I thought she wasn't going to. "He's not a fascist," she finally said, "never used the rhetoric. He's after something else, entirely."

"Revenge?"

She shrugged. "Without knowing more about his life, I'm not sure about that." She fell silent for another moment. "I think that at least part of it is the rush. He talked all business, for the most part, but there was something in his eyes... Besides, he took risks he didn't need to."

"Like what?"

"Like giving you a chance to kill him."

I'd come to the same conclusion, but I needed to keep her talking until she gave me something that told me what was bothering her. "It wasn't that much of a risk, he was wearing a flak jacket. He knew I'd double-tapped Qassam and figured I'd do the same to him."

She shook her head. "No, he had to know you were more likely to shoot him in the head. He made it personal when he shot Gerald."

"Doesn't matter. It was a chance he had to take for his plan to work."

"But it wasn't. He could have killed you in cold blood, triggered the assault and escaped the same way he did."

She had a damn good point. "Okay, I'm convinced. You said part of his motivation. What else is there?"

"The only other thing I can see is money. He was well-groomed, had manicured nails and perfect teeth, styled hair that screamed salon..."

"A Hamas terrorist in it for the money?"

She snorted. "Well he's not in it for the virgins. No way he has trouble attracting women."

And there it was. "Is that why he scares you?"

Her hands stilled, though only briefly. "No."

Maybe not, but I'd hit close to home and it didn't take a genius to go the next step. "He used that," I said, reaching out to brush her choker. "Didn't he?"

Kate dropped the sandpaper and started pacing the room. "Damn it, it shouldn't bother me. I'm not that easy to control, there's no way I'd give in..."

If that were the case, she wouldn't be so troubled. "But you're not sure about that, are you? As good as David is at giving you what you need, he's safe. This guy isn't, and that excites you."

She stopped pacing and dropped into a chair. "And scares the hell out of me. I can't help but wonder if I botched it, if I deliberately didn't hit him..."

"Bullshit." I knew that wasn't the case and found it hard to believe she didn't. "People you care about were in danger and you're not the type of person to do anything but the best you're capable of under those circumstances. So what's the real problem?"

She sighed. "I'm still learning things about myself, and the more I learn, the more I realize I'm not a good person."

"Who told you that? MacLeod?" I went over and crouched in front of her, making her look at me. "Whoever it was, they're wrong. You're a Bad Girl, sure, but you are not a bad person, and David isn't doing his job if he's not drilling that into your head."

She gave me a little smile. "He tries, but I have a lot of conditioning to overcome."

I sighed. "Believe me, I understand that. At least you don't have two thousand years' worth. We'll find him, Kate, I don't care what happened on your show. In the meantime, you're going to tell me what I need to know about you."

She gave me a smirk. "Other than the fact that one bite won't infect you? You don't."

I frowned and headed back to my boat. "You always do that?"

"What, use your own words against you? Only when it's of most amusement to me and/or most annoyance to you."

"You are going to piss me off on a regular basis, aren't you?"

She laughed, a genuine sound if still a bit shaky. "Regular? I'd be surprised if it wasn't daily."

I sighed. "Yeah, I was afraid of that. And I need to know since you're going to be on the team."

She started to argue then closed her mouth with a snap. "Damn it!"

I couldn't help but smile. "Pissed you can't string me along?"

"Pissed I can't even try. I doubt I could keep it up for long."

I snorted. "You called me Boss. I knew before I even considered asking that you'd accept."

"Yeah, I made a few slips."

"Understandable. Case with an emotional impact, working with people you like and trust... Make flight reservations. I'll make sure you get to the airport."

She didn't waste any time, grabbing my phone before I'd finished speaking. When she was done, I didn't need her to tell me to know it wasn't good news. "Nothing until tomorrow morning."

"Already put blankets and pillows on the couch for you."

She tried to stare me down, but she was too emotionally compromised to make it stick and quickly gave it up as a lost cause. "I know when I'm beat."

I nodded. "Smart woman. You still haven't answered my question, you know."

"Read the books." Then, with a chuckle, "Yeah, I know better than that. Ask Abby."

"Incredibly heightened senses, slightly increased strength and agility. Can't get sick, of course, and you can't eat real food without it getting ugly. Fire and beheading are just about the only things that can kill you permanently, but sunlight turns you into a mere mortal. The rest depends on the type of vamp you are. You, however, will be more charismatic. That one's a given."

She shook her head. "Should have known you've already done your homework. That's about it."

We fell silent, but I kept an eye on her, glad to see the tension gradually bleed away. After an hour or so, she gave a jaw-cracking yawn. "Get some sleep," I told her.

"Yeah, I might actually be able to. Thanks, Boss."

I just nodded and let her go. By the time I went upstairs, she was sound asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

I woke with a start, reaching for my gun before realizing that it had been Kate—crying out in the throes of a nightmare—that had jarred me from sleep. I headed downstairs, moving more and more quickly when she didn't wake on her own, and put a hand on her shoulder to give her a gentle shake.

"Todd, wake..." I broke off with a grunt as she lashed out with a fist and connected, damn near breaking my jaw. I caught that wrist then the other, taking another couple of hits in the process, hanging on tight against her heightened strength. "Todd. Wake up, Todd." She kept struggling so I gave her a more violent shake. "Damn it, Caitlin, it's Jethro. Wake up!"

That got through and she stilled, her eyes flying open. I drew her into my arms and held her close, murmuring. "It's okay, Caitlin, I've got you. You're safe."

She buried her face in the crook of my neck and cried, letting me hold her until, after a long while, she calmed and drew back to meet my gaze. I understood, then—I'd seen that look in the mirror for decades, still saw it in Abby's eyes every year. The date hadn't escaped me and I knew that would make it worse than it would have been. "You died the day after your anniversary?"

"Not exactly. I was murdered the day after my wedding."

"Caitlin," I sighed. "They ever find him?" If they hadn't, I would. As if David would have left it this long.

"No."

There was something in the way she said the single word that told me a lot more than I thought she'd meant to. "Did you?"

She didn't hesitate too long before she said, "Yes."

I didn't have to ask to know the outcome of that meting. "But, that's not what causes the nightmares. You don't regret killing, not a predator like you."

"No, it's not." She fell silent again and I almost thought she wasn't going to elaborate. "I know there's nothing for you, but there was more than just darkness while I was dead. I don't remember except in my dreams and those fade when I wake up, but I think it's telling that I only relive it in my worst nightmares."

"It must have been bad, you clocked me a few times. Are you okay?" I asked quickly, not giving her a chance to make an apology I neither wanted nor needed.

Kate sighed and I mentally slapped myself for the stupid question. Okay would mean being with David. "No, but the worst is over."

"Better than nothing." That was something I'd learned the hard way. I settled into the corner of the sofa and pulled her close, tucking her head under my chin. "Go to sleep, Caitlin. I won't let anything happen."

"Gibbs..."

I pressed my lips to her forehead the same way I did for Abby, knowing Kate would appreciate the gesture. "You're not going to win this fight, either."

She tensed, ready to argue, then gave it up with a shaky laugh. "Then I won't try. Thank you, Jethro."

Kate stilled, the first time I'd seen her give up all pretenses of being anything other than undead. Even so, I knew she'd fallen asleep when her body relaxed completely. Once I was certain she was out, I leaned my head back and let myself sleep, as well.

When I woke, it was to the smell of coffee. I was alone but not for long; Kate stepped in, giving me a smile and a cup. "Least I could do."

I took a sip. "Stronger than most people make it. That just for me?"

She grinned. "I don't know how strong you like it from the show, if that's what you're asking. I had a few friends who were in the military." She glanced at the clock. "I should call a cab. I need to stop at the hotel before I go."

I'd been surprised when I'd learned where she was staying, at least until I realized who her husband was. David had always taken care of the people he loved, and he'd certainly been a connoisseur of the finer things in life. "You're going to get spoiled."

"Spoiled, not soft."

Yeah, I didn't think it too likely, myself. Not for a century or two, at least. When she was done on the phone, I followed her out to wait for the cab. "Do you want me to go with?"

She smiled. "No, I'll be fine. Stay here, work on Kelly."

My daughter's name, what I'd already decided to call the boat. "That's going to get real annoying, too, you know. Should I have an application faxed to the hotel?"

"No, I'll fill one out when I get home, overnight it to..."

"Me," I interrupted. "I'll get it fast-tracked. Being a man down's been killing me." I frowned as something occurred to me. "Who was it on the show?"

"Caitlin Todd." She chuckled at my look of confusion. "On the show, the first episode involved a case NCIS worked on Air Force One. Caitlin Todd was a Secret Service Agent who resigned by the end, only to be hired by the fictional Gibbs. In this reality, however, Caitlin Todd was a premature baby who died shortly after birth in 1972. My name when I died was Katelyn Brown. Well, Addison."

A name she'd only had claim to for hours before her death. "Which is why David chose that name for you." It also shed light on something. "That's why you looked so stunned when I walked into the room."

She gave a wry smile. "Yup." She glanced up as the cab turned onto the street. "Thanks for last night. It could have gotten ugly."

"I take care of my people. Even when it takes a kick in the ass."

"Rule number 51."

"I don't have..."

"Sometimes you're wrong."

"You weren't kidding when you said daily," I growled. "Say hello to David for me."

She laughed. "Promise." She cocked her head and studied me for a moment. "Next time we see each other, rule number 12 is going to be in effect."

The statement, along with her mischievous smile, worried me. "Yeah. So?"

She grabbed my shirt and pulled me in for a deep kiss that I couldn't help but return. When she finally broke off, she gave me a cocky grin. "Always wanted to do that," she said then turned to go.

I watched her leave, shaking my head. "This is the start of an interesting friendship."


	4. Chapter 4

I watched Tony as he picked up the phone then set it back down, only to pick it up again. He hesitated, glanced at the clock then dialed. I moved closer but stayed behind him, wondering who he was calling and why.

"It's DiNozzo, where are you? You're late, that's why." He paused to listen. "Denver? What do you mean... He sent you home? Yeah, next time I'll keep the time difference in mind," he said curtly then hung up.

I gave it a minute or two before going to my desk; Tony watched me and I wondered if he'd say anything. It took a few minutes, but he did.

"Boss, why'd you send Kate back to Denver?"

"We're done with Qassam, DiNozzo, that's why." I glanced up at my temporary investigator. McGee had potential; I was already thinking about bringing him on full time. "Something to say, McGee?"

"Uh, no, Sir. I mean, Boss. I'm just wondering who Kate is."

"FBI agent," Tony said. "She was out here on a case, then helped us with one of ours. You may have heard about it; she was held hostage in the morgue with Ducky and Gerald."

McGee nodded. "Oh, yeah, I did. I guess you like her."

"Like her, McGee? She's incredible. She talked the Boss into letting her work the case, and she's gor..." he trailed off when I glared at him. "Uh, I mean... My interest in her is completely professional."

I was impressed that he managed to say that with a straight face. "I'm sure it is, DiNozzo."

"You don't want to mess with her, Probie," he told McGee. "She even put her husband into the wall."

McGee's jaw dropped. "You're kidding."

"Nope. He's a doctor and was treating one of her witnesses..."

I listened to them snipe at each other with half an ear, amused as always. There'd been a package overnighted for me from Denver, and I opened it to see Kate's application. "If you need me, I'm with the Director," I told them, heading for the stairs. It would take some talking, but in the end I'd get Morrow to approve her. I paused to look over my shoulder. "Oh, and DiNozzo."

"Yeah, Boss?"

"I sent her home to pack."

He grinned. "Hey, that's great." His smile didn't last long, though. "I'm in trouble, aren't I?"

I hid a smile. "Oh, yeah, DiNozzo. Deep trouble."

Poor McGee looked confused. "I thought you liked her."

"That's why he's doomed, McGee. She's married, remember?" I headed up to the Director's office, amused. Things were about to get real entertaining.


End file.
